A Trio Trip for Trio Analysis: Family Genomics at the Oslo Family-Based Genomic Analyses Workshop

Have you thought about how if someone inherited liability for a condition like ADHD from their parents, this might imply that their parents are also creating an environment that already influences ADHD traits in this person? That is what we call in genetics gene-environment correlation (rGE), specifically passive rGE. How do we account for that in genetic association studies? The month of April brought an amazing learning opportunity to the Family Genomics team. Aung, Enya and Mailton went to Oslo, Norway for the first edition of the Workshop for Early-Career Researchers on Family-Based Genomic Analyses. On the 9th and 10th of April 2026, the three researchers learned a bit more about the power of trio analysis in genomics research and put into practice what they learned during the practical sessions. For those who are unaware of trio analysis, this terminology describes a method in genomics that involves the analysis of someone's genomic information alongside that of their biological parents.

Throughout the workshop, the lecturers covered how trio analysis brings more information to established techniques, particularly in disentangling the direct genetic effects of a variant from indirect genetic effects. These indirect effects are, for instance, those acting through the environment shaped by parents' own genotypes. The applications ranged from GWAS to Mendelian Randomization, to Structural Equation Modelling applied to genomics and probability-based modelling of Mendelian transmission expectations in pedigrees. Participants also heard from keynote speakers across the two days of the workshop: (1) a historical arc from John Snow's cholera clustering observations to the epidemiological case for family-based genomic data with Prof. George Davey Smith and (2) a keynote by Dr Hilary Martin, whose work on the genetic architecture of neurodevelopmental disorders makes her a natural voice on the power of trio-based approaches. Early-career researchers were also invited for short talks, showcasing how they are applying or further developing trio analysis methods in their own work.

The structure of the lectures was perfectly designed to allow for a chance of learning new concepts or refreshing them, followed by breaks for refreshments and networking before practicals. The practicals were carefully planned, with all resources available at Posit Cloud running RStudio (with scripts, help resources and training datasets provided). Although the topics were intensive and dense, the workshop was exceptionally well planned to allow for the best learning experience possible. The workshop took place at the stunning rooftop of the Toppsenteret conference centre at the Oslo Science Park and a delightful dinner for further socialising at a cosy brasserie in the middle of Oslo city. Take a look at the stunning view from Oslo city behind us.

By the end of the workshop we could see clearly how indirect and direct genetic effects can bring light to many genomics techniques that leverage association studies data. In short, the power of trio analysis lies in accounting for within-family environmental effects that are driven themselves by genetics (like the rGE in ADHD mentioned before) and isolating that when looking for associations. The lecturers also crafted careful opportunities for participants to observe how anticipated effects can reduce in size, change direction or even disappear as the correct information is modelled. This means that some previously reported genetic associations in the literature may reflect the environment parents create and not the variant's direct biological action on the individual. This comes with real consequences for how we interpret findings and design interventions. For the three researchers, it was an opportunity to expand current analyses and plan future ones leveraging the datasets we have available at Family Genomics. The hands-on practical sessions propelled new findings and the researchers are excited to share them in upcoming scientific events and future publications. So, stay tuned.

Author: Mailton Vasconcelos

This blog post was refined with the assistance of Claude (Anthropic), an AI language model, to enhance clarity and maintain the original tone and style of the author.